Some Things Never Change
by Captain LeBubbles
Summary: Minerva and Tom never did quite get along.


**Some Things Never Change**

**Characters:** McGonagall, Riddle

**Timeline:** Riddle-era Hogwarts; sometime in the fifties for the later bit

**Summary:** Minerva and Tom never did quite get along.

**Note:** I have no idea why I decided this was a good thing to write. But whatever. Probably out of character for both of them, but I don't know that we ever saw them interact, soooo...

"Now that that's over, hopefully the attacks will stop," Tom said, doing his best to look relieved. "I certainly hope that young Hagrid will learn his lesson about dangerous creatures."

Minerva glared at him. "Tom Riddle, you know as well as I that Hagrid had nothing to do with those attacks. The boy wouldn't hurt a fly. And if he did, he'd feel worse about it than the fly."

"He may not have meant to harm anyone, but that creature of his clearly had no such qualms. I only reported him for his own good."

"You reported him because there was talk of shutting down the school and you would have had to go back to the orphanage. You were completely selfish and now Hagrid will have to watch his classmates learn magic instead of learning it with them because of you."

"I only did what I thought was best, dear Minnie." He smiled at the annoyed way her nostrils turned white when he called her Minnie. "I'm sorry that you don't see that."

"You did what you thought was best for you, dear Tommy." His own nostrils flared at this and he resolved to find some new name that couldn't be easily shortened. Something with death in it, maybe. "I'm just sorry that Hagrid paid the price for it."

"The attacks have stopped, haven't they?"

"Clearly the true culprit considers Hagrid's expulsion as a neat little way to cover up their attacks."

"Or perhaps it was Hagrid's pet that was doing the attacking."

"You're going to stick with your pathetic story, then, are you? Honestly, Tom, sometimes I think you would steal candy from a baby given the right opportunity and motive."

**(o/o/o)**

Well, that was it, then. Tom had completely failed to acquire a post at Hogwarts, but no matter. He'd managed his other goal, hiding Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem in the Room of Requirements. And, in a moment of true pettiness, he'd managed to lay a curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. See Dumbledore try to fill it NOW, ha!

Only evil could be so petty, Tom thought, smiling and not looking where he was going. He yelped when he ran smack into a person. He steadied himself and stepped back. He recognized the witch he'd run into... oh, right, McGonagall. He remembered her from his sixth year. A Gryffindor and a half-blood, he'd always despised her on principle, but she'd been Head Girl that year and he'd had to pretend to be supportive.

It had been even more annoying because she'd agreed with Dumbledore about him, and that had made it harder to schmooze. How do you schmooze someone who doesn't trust you? And apparently she was a teacher at Hogwarts now. That REALLY rankled.

But if she was a teacher, he'd have to be nice, at least for the time being. Dumbledore might change his mind after a few years of having to replace his teachers.

"Oh, my dear, dear Minnie," he said, with as much false cheer as he could manage. "Don't you look absolutely ravishing today? You're still as beautiful as ever, I see."

"My dear, dear Tommy," she said sardonically, giving him a somewhat stern look. "You're still a git, I see."

Damn woman. She should have been flattered, nay, ASTOUNDED, that he should compliment her. But noooo, she had to go and call him a git. He should have put a curse on her job, too. Still, that might get suspicious, having two positions getting cursed at the same time.

"I really wish I could stay and chat, my dear Minnie, but I'm afraid I really must dash."

"I understand," she said drily. "There's a baby with candy somewhere and you simply must take it."

Damn woman. Oh well, he'd get her back someday. Once he came to power, anyway. He could wait that long.


End file.
